Bloody Life : Dusk til Dawn
by Punko McMac
Summary: The first issue of Crimson with my own spin on it. For those who want a more mature Crimson...
1. Prologue

Crimson - Bloody Life   
Dusk to Dawn 

by Punko McMac 

I don't own Crimson, nae sir, not I. Crimson and all other prominent characters are owned by Humberto Ramos, Francisco Haghenbeck & Oscar Pinto, 2000. 

This is a sort of chapterized revisit of the first issues of the 24-issue long run of Cliffhanger comic's Crimson. I've altered parts of the story and dialoge and added to parts in order to mature the story and get across the ones I thought would have been good. Crimson's a great comic (and the only Cliffhanger book to get out on a consistent basis!), but I thought the ultra-violence was out of place in an otherwise tame book. Now, bear with the story's beginning, because it sets up to some minor events later in the story. Those of you who've read the comic may recognize it. But if you're not into the whole biblical intro, skip ahead. It doesn't have a whole lot to do with the issues I'm covering.   
So, without further adoo-doo...Crimson: Bloody Life 

********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* 

Prologue... .. . 

In the beginning when God began to create Heaven and Earth, the Earth was first unformed and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.   
God said, let there be light and there was light. And God saw that it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness, calling the light day and the dark night. And this was the first day.   
God said, let there be and expanse in the midst of the waters that it may divide the waters from the waters...and it was so. God called this expanse sky. This was the second day.   
God said let the waters be gathered in one place, so that dry land may appear. And it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; the gathered waters seas. And God saw that it was good.   
God created behemoths called the Chalkydri to be the guardians of the new born world. And these were dragons, and they lived through God's glory and kept watch over the Earth.   
And god said let the Earth bring forth vegetation; seed bearing plants, and fruit trees of every kind on Earth. And it was so. The Earth gave rist to green life of every kind. And God saw that it was good. And this was the third day.   
On the fourth day God said let the seas bring forth swarms of living creatures; and birds that fly above the Earth across the expanse of the sky. God created giant sea monsters, and other creatures, and the winged birds of every kind. And God saw that this was good, and he blessed them all and bade them be fertile and increase upon the Earth.   
On the fifth day God said let the Earth bring forth every kind of living creature: cattle, wild beasts of every kind, and creeping things. And it was so. And God saw that it was good.   
And God said let us raise up beings who will have dominion over the lower forms. And it was so...but this was not good. For these, called Grigori, had no souls and would not worship God. And God was displeased, and these fell from his favor.   
And God created again. And God made the human in his image, in the image of God they were created; male and female. God blessed them and bade them be fertile and increase; to fill the Earth and master it. And God gave them reign over all lower creatures that crept upon the Earth.   
Another creature there was, who seethed with envy. She was Lisseth. She had been created to mate with the first human, but was not of the same flesh. Because of this rejection, Lisseth lost her heart and became bitter and jealous.   
And as with Lisseth, God seemingly forgot the Grigori, and they fell under the sway of the Evil One. And he begane to scheme with them how to reclaim creation. 

Before Earth was, God created Angels to help minister to God's creation. Mighty were these in strength and grace, and near to God were they in power. And the Angels served God in joy and glory. All the Angels served God, save one called Lucifer, whose name meant 'light of God.' And God loved him, but Lucifer was jealous of God, and jealous of God's creation -- of all the worlds God had made, full of creatures who loved and worshiped God. Lucifer desired all this for himself, and had sought to wrest it from God's grasp. Lucifer sowed seeds of discontent among his fellow Angels, and with his God-given light won many to his twisted side; and so began a war that shook Heaven itself. And God saw what Lucifer had wrought and was sore displeased. God stopped the war and banished Lucifer and his minions from Heaven forever. Despite his desire and black conciet, Lucifer had not the power to contest against God, and was cast out of God's light and into eternal darkness. 

Though he failed in Heaven, Lucifer came to Earth with his seeds of envy. And these seeds bore fruit among the soul-less Grigori. And lucifer pitted these against the Chalkydri, who had remained close to God. And great battle rent the peace of all creation.   
Humankind was spared the perils of this warfare -- by the power of God's love, and the protection of God's warrior Arch-Angels. Many soul-less ones and Chalkydri perished and their great numbers were vastly deminished. And God greived for both sides of the conflict. In greif, God bade the hostility end, and it ended.   
God knew that the creatures had been misled by Lucifer, and God forgave them their part in the war, and spared them. Himankind was given to freely roam over the whole Earth. And God transformed Eden into a desert, and in the center of this God placed the Tree of Life to nurture the balance between good and evil in all the world.   
A Grigori who would one day call himself Ekimus survived and escaped into seclusion on Earth. Forever set apart from the humans, forever denied the full measure of God's creation, Ekimus was alone and resentful...as was the one called Lisseth. And bitter was her aspect forever. The day would come when these two imperfect beings would come together to breed perfect terror. And all creation would fear the monsters the two birthed in secret over the long eons to follow...   
  
  
  



	2. Chapter I

Crimson: Bloody Life   
Dusk til Dawn... .. . 

Chapter I 

Humankind held dominion over the Earth, but these dark creatures held dominion over the nightmare worlds of the night. And this was most certainly not good... 

*** *** *** 

As the boys cruised through New York in a minivan late that night, they had an air of superiority about them. Deserved or not, in their own minds they were king of their domain...at least, in most of their minds...   
"Uhm...is Central Park the greatest place to be at this time of night?" asked the 17 year old Alex Elder. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, arms crossed.   
"Relax, Alex, m'man--like, who th' hell you think's gonna bother us?" scoffed his friend, Michael Daws. He playfully slapped Alex on the arm. "Hah? Heh heh." Alex turned to look out the window.   
"Aw, don't mess yerself, Al! Mike's right--this time a' night, we own the city! Tell 'im, Gordon," said Louis, staring away from the road to reassure Alex. The car swerved a bit, and the driving teenager whispered under his breath "oop, shoit."   
"You right, Louis--and Alex knows it--he's just bummed out over his fight with lady Julie...but she'll be cool, Alex. She know's all 'bout yer little mood swings," replied Gordon. He twisted around in his seat to face Alex, who was in the very back seat. "Heheh, at least you two have REALLY have something in common, even if it's only for a couple days a month," he snickered.   
"S'not funny, man. Things feel really bad. Things are goin' for a piss, and it's not just with Julie," Alex sighed. He pulled his gaze away from the window to his friends, "I been pissing off everyone lately, even my parents. It's like I'm...friggin'..." he strained for a metaphor, "I'm at the edge of a cliff, waiting to fall."   
"Jesus, Al, lighten up! You got no reason to be this weird! You got a pretty lady at yer side, some loaded parents, and the world's ours, man. All ours! Hehe, we got nothin' to...um...fear?" Louis stopped speaking as the sounds of motorcycle engines revving caught his attention. "Where the hell's that coming from?" he muttered. Suddenly, six motorcycles screeched and stopped in front of the minivan. Louis cursed, and slammed on the breaks. The van barely stopped in time. They all froze in their seats. They were barely visible, just out of reach of the headlights' glow. He heard one, a woman, even through the windshield... 

"Looka'dis, m'bats...we got dinnah in a can!" said the woman, chuckling, her jamaican accent thick. She revved her bike's motor again, rumbling in the otherwise quiet night.   
"Oh, shit. What the hell do--" "Bikers! They're gonna kill us, I know--" "Sonovabitch, my parents are gonna murder me--" the teenagers all spoke at once in hushed fearful tones. Alex shook his head and whispered to his friend, "Louis, how fast can you pull our asses out of here?"   
Louis smiled at the suggestion and shifted gears to reverse. "Faster than these porky biker bastards can chase us!" he whispered back, confident. He slammed his foot on the gas, and the tires spit up gravel and smoke. *GOGOGO!!* he thought, and finally the minivan started to zoom back. A loud bang made them all jump in their seats, and Louis accidentally swerved the van to the side of the street. One of the bikers, visible in the headlights now, had whipped out a rather large bowie knife and thrown it directly into one of the tires. He was dressed like some kind of cowboy, hat & poncho and all. His companions were no more ordinary.   
To the left of the cowboy was some kind of transvestite, decked out in leather and piercings. On the far side of the biker group was a heavy-metal punk, long shaggy hair and baggy clothes. To his left was what looked to be a blue-haired teenage girl, 18 or 19, wearing very skimpy clothing. Behind her was an afro-sporting fellow who looked straight out of some 70s blaxploitation movie. Between him and the cowboy was the leader of the band, the jamaican woman. Her short hair was done up in small dreadlocks on top of her head, and she wore a leopard print short fur coat, open to reveal her torso, which was naked save for strips of electrical-tape placed over the tips of her breasts. She smiled at the teenagers, a dark, evil smile.   
Mike gulped, "I seen this movie before, the brotha always dies. Le's get the hell outta here!"   
"SCATTER!" yelled Louis as the four jumped out of the minivan and began running in all directions. The bikers sprang off their motorcycles in pursuit, not having to go far before they caught all their prey. All except for Alex.   
*Jesus Christ, what's going on!? I gotta find a cop, gotta find someone...good thing I stuck with Track even after my moods started...but that won't be worth shit if I can't find someone in time...* thought Alex, hiding behind a tree some 30 or 40 feet from the van. He looked back around the corner at the bikers, who'd gotten ahold of his friends, and began running again. 

"We got t'ree of de mice, but where da cute one get to?" asked Rose the Puppet, leader of the Jellybat gang. She looked around, and Eightball, the afro sporting one, pointed to the running figure some 80 feet away. She smiled, baring sharp teeth. "Ah, dere he is. And he be mine," she said as she sprang forward. 

Alex kept running, kept pumping his legs through the fallen Autumn leaves. He heard a fluttering behind him, and a faint jamaican laugh, and suddenly the one whom he had heard earlier was on him. She leapt upon his back, tackling him to the ground. "You a fast li'l one, but not near fast enough to get 'way, baby!" She brayed, "an' Rose nevah miss a meal. 'Specially a good lookin' one like you, boy. Hehehehahah!" Her eyes flashed with evil intent. Even through the electrical-tape, her excitement was visible. She grinded her hips up against Alex and let out a throaty growling-groan. She smiled again and nipped him on the nose, drawing a single drop of blood. He let out a whimper, and struggled again.   
"N-no...no...please..?" whimpered Alex as she flipped him onto his back with unnatural strength and grinned, showing off long sharp fangs. Thoughts of his girlfriend Julie danced through Alex's head, how he was so sorry about the fights they had.   
"Aw, nice 'n' polite, I like dat. Too bad no one give fuck all if dinnah minds it's Ps and Qs, hahaha!" she laughed as she leaned forward, dragging her fangs across Alex's neck, leaving shallow cuts and slurping the blood that flowed forth. He let out a yelp, and struggled beneath her. He could hear the faint screams of his friends over his own groans, and the roars from the bikers. She lifted her head from Alex's bleeding neck and yelled to her compadres, "Don' be playin' wit'cher fuckin' food! Finish 'em off! NOW!!!" She turned back to Alex, who was staring at the blood seeping into his coat and shirt, trying to comprehend the damage done to him. She ran her clawed hands over his cheeks, and said sweetly, "we don' wanna be makin' no competition, deary, we be de onliest bloodsuckahs in dis town, f'r sure! Now, bay-be, no mo' games, time fo' me t'eat. I'll open wide, and you...say...AHH." With that, she sunk her teeth into Alex's neck, ripping it open enough to drink. He let out a gurgling scream, as he felt her tear into him. Shock took him over then, and all he could do was see, see his own dark blood splash up over his inhuman attacker. He heard her soft groans, heard her slurp down his lifeblood, heard the sounds of death and screams from his friends, and the biker's cheers. He passed out... 

When he came too, for just a moment, he saw his attacker, Rose, dragging him back to her gang. They stood in the midst of a mess of blood and meat, what once was his friends. He tried to turn his head, but a burning lance of pain shot through his body. He could taste blood in his mouth. He moved his eyes around, trying to look for some escape now, but all he saw was the carnage that the surrounded the bikers.   
"Niiiice," growled Rose, as she kicked Mike's severed half crushed head out of the way, "dat mess 'o' gumbo ain't never gon' come back." She threw Alex onto the pile of torsos. He groaned, and spit up bile and blood. He could see through a red haze the heavy-metal punker gnawing on the stump of a severed arm, and the cowboy dangling Louis's head above the girl, who was on her knees begging, almost erotically, for the dripping blood. Alex heaved, but no more would come forth. His stomach was empty, and his veins were not far off. Rose kicked him in the leg, and growled, "here, put dis fast boy on puree, too...an' hurry." Eightball nodded, and dropped the broken leg of Gordon. He grabbed Alex by the arm of his coat, but spun around when he heard a noise. The other bikers finished destroying and devouring the corpses of Alex's friends, while Eightball wandered to the flank of the group.   
"What are you doing?" asked a deep, ominous voice from the dark. Eightball smiled, thinking it was a nosy hobo.   
"We just havin' a good ol' ti--HEY, who you...?!" asked the stunned Eightball before a blow sent him skidding across the street into his fellow bikers. The cowboy snarled and spun around, facing their guest. An seven foot tall, cloaked being floated in the air, watching them. "Gegh," moaned Eightball.   
"Who thuh fuck are yuh, pard'ner?" snarled the cowboy. He pulled his bowie knife out from the minivan's tire and pointed it at the stranger.   
"That is not important," boomed the floating one. He looked at Rose, and said menacingly "stand away from the boy, slut. You'll do no further damage to him."   
"We ain't...um...dat is...we ain't gonna stay 'round here an' argue wit'choo about no dead boy--take 'im, you wan' him," Rose stumbled over her words, then regained her composure. "Bats! We bookin'!" she called. The inhuman bikers mounted their cycles and roared off into the night, leaving Eightball still reeling on the pavement. He coughed up a sharp tooth, knocked loose by the floating one's blow.   
"Excellent logic," said the creature, as it floated down to the collection of human remains. It picked up Alex, and said, "come, lad. You are safe now...though it may be that I am too late." Eightball's eyes fluttered at the sound of the new element to the late-night massacre.   
"Whasss...happenin...?" sputtered the half unconscious scoundrel. "Ch-ugh," it coughed and rubbed it's face. He tried to look around, his strength slowly returning.   
"Hmm, that scent--someone new arrives. Ah, bad news for you, Eightball," whispered the creature as it floated away, carrying Alex in it's long, muscular arms.   
Eightball rolled over onto it's side and started to push itself up. A crunch of gravel and a fwap-fwap of a flapping cloak alerted him to another's presence. He glanced up at someone, a red shape in his blurred vision. "Huh...? Who're...who 'r' you, bitch?" he slurred through a cracked jaw. He tried to make it sound vicious and half-snarling, but his injury and daze were not co-operating with his wishes. He shook his head, and his eyes focussed for a moment, homing in on a rather dangerous pointed right at him.   
A click sounded in the crisp night air as the new stranger loaded a crossbow.   
"Someone you don't want to know, leech," said the cloak clad woman. She fired an arrow deep into Eightball's mouth, down his throat, into his spine. He gurgled and convulsed, then let out a bloody sigh and died. "Someone who's going to crush your kind. So is my quest..."   
  
  



	3. Chapter II

Crimson : Bloody Life   
Dusk til Dawn... .. . 

Chapter II 

*** *** *** *** *** *** 

"PLEASE!! Just one more chance -- please!!" pleaded Alex, his hands out.   
"Sorry, sport, we have to put our foot down on this. Your grades have been...horrible of late -- and I won't even get into your...attitude problems," Alex's father shot back. He shook his head, and Alex rolled his eyes. Alex's father stood up out of his chair, his temper rising.   
Alex and his parents stood in their house's living room, and Alex was having a hard time convincing his parents about going out with his friends for a night. "Alex, your father and I just want what's best for you. You need some time to settle down, get your attitude together. It's not healthy to be so angry all the time. Alex, these mood swings..." his mother paused, "oh no, you not taking drugs are you...!?"   
"NO! God, mom...d'you think I'm stupid as well as a baby!?" Alex yelled. His fists curled up involuntarily.   
"Change your tone," his father snapped, as he pointed his finger at his son.   
"And I don't have an attitude problem! I just get kinda down once in a while! Happens to everyone!! God..." Alex said exasperated. He brushed his hair out of his face with one hand, and continued, "my grades are low 'cause senior year's tougher than I expected...it's no big deal! I'll make the marks up. I'll pass, I'll pass!" His parents gave him a crooked stare. The look of disappointed disbelief that they had perfected over the years. It no longer worked on Alex. "I'm telling you, they'll be up. So would you please cut me a break, huh!?"   
"Not tonight, son-- " his father started, but was interrupted by the ball of hormonal rage that was his son.   
"All I want to do is to go to one goddamn party!!! Gimme a chance-- !" yelled Alex, and his mother's eyes widened. She took a step back.   
"ALEX ELDER -- how DARE you use that language in front of your mother!?! You can forget going anywhere, now, mister! I ought to..." his father yelled. He pointed at his son with ferocity.   
"Ought to...what, dad? Hit me? Come on!" Alex yelled, unfairly. His father had once accidentally let his anger get the better of him after a few drinks once, and Alex rarely let him live it down in times of argument.   
"Go...to...your...room!!!" said his father slowly, conveying his anger with all his power. Alex scoffed and rolled his eyes. "NOW!" yelled Mr. Elder.   
"You know what? Stick it! I'm gone!!" shot his son. Alex stormed to the front hall, grabbing his coat. His sister, Pris, was sitting on the stairs, listening the whole time. She had a sad look on her face.   
"Alex...?" she said in her high voice that should belong to a seven year old, rather than a 11 year old girl. Priscilla Elder was Alex's little sister, and she idolized him, even when he caused his family grief. She got up from the stairs.   
"Not now, Pris! I'm not letting dad treat me like a prisoner -- I've got to get out, and very far away for a while. I'll...I'll see you later, sis," grumbled Alex as he put on his coat in mid-stride. He patted her once on the leg, and she smiled worriedly. 

Alex opened the front door, and was greeted by one of his father's associates. He put on a fake smile and nodded at Alex, then knocked on the door. Alex stormed to the end of the driveway, where his friend Louis's minivan was waiting. Michael Daws opened the side door, and his friends all looked out at him. Julie Ryder, Alex's girlfriend of more than a year and a half, smiled, then frowned at Alex's expression. Alex looked at Louis and snapped, "what're you guys waiting for? Let's get outta here."   
"Yes, sir, mister Alex, sir!" chuckled Mike, who sat in the back seat next to Julie. He gave a three fingered salute. Alex lingered outside the minivan for a bit.   
"C'mon, boss -- the meter's running..." he snickered, and Alex hopped into the van and plopped down into the back seat. Louis let out a whoop and started driving.   
"Damn, man, thought we'd be waiting out here all night! What was the hold-up?" asked Gordon Campbell, who sat in front with Louis.   
"Parents were the hold-up. Parents are always the hold-up," grumbled Alex. He ran his hand over his face, trying to release tension. Gordon nodded sympathetically.   
"So how'd you get out?" asked Mike. He scratched his head and adjusted his knit-cap.   
"Simple. I just made my parents hate me," muttered Alex. He had a depressed look on his face. Mike rolled his eyes and nodded his head. *Alex's in a mood again* he thought. Alex continued, "way I left it, I don't think they ever want me back. Now let's drop it."   
"S'okay if you want to talk about it, Alex -- I'm here," said Julie as she moved to the very back seat of the minivan. Alex shifted in his seat, and looked at her.   
"Julie...I said..." he started, then stopped, gathering his thoughts, "listen, I don't really want to talk about it -- don't even want to think about it, so thanks, but no." Julie nodded slowly. She took a deep breath and looked out the window, feeling rejected. Alex looked at her for a bit, then put his arm around her. "Hey," he said. She looked at him with a hint of hurt feelings. He whispered to her so only she could hear, "I appreciate the offer, Julie. You know me, I get like this. Just how I am. I'm not mad at you, you know it. Come on," he smiled, "who's my girl?"   
Julie let out a small smile and put her head on his shoulder, "aww." He rested his head on hers, and for the rest of the drive they sat like this. Two teenagers in love. 

It wasn't until the drive home that it came up again. The party had been boring, the music lame, and the drinks bland. But they had had a good time amongst themselves. At around twelve o' clock at night, they decided to pack it in and leave the party.   
They had been driving for nearly half an hour, and were almost at the Ryder house. Gordon had nodded off in the front seat (as long drives often made him do), and Louis was humming a tune to himself while Mike sang the words quietly. Alex and Julie sat in the back seat sharing kisses, but Alex's heart just wasn't in it.   
"What's wrong, Alex?" asked Julie, pulling back. Alex shook his head, his hands loosening their grip on her shoulder and breast. Julie shrugged and moved forward for another kiss. Alex put his arms further around her, and she smiled and gave him a deep kiss. Alex kissed back, their tongues darting back and forth, but soon he started slowly pulling back. "Alex, sweety, are you upset about your fight with your parents? Do you want to talk about it?"   
"No, sorry Julie...no," he said. He kissed her on the mouth, then slowly stopped. He kissed her on the cheek and then turned to look out the window, his hands settling on her hips. She frowned and placed a finger on his chin. She guided his face back to her, and looked deep into his blue eyes. She gave him a worried look.   
"Alex, something's really bothering you, and you need to get it out," she said, a tone of seriousness in her voice. He sighed, and closed his eyes.   
"I said, no. I'm goin' through...a...bad time right now," he stumbled over the words. He was uncomfortable sharing these feelings, even with the love of his young life. "Julie, no one understands what I'm going through, not even me. I don't thing it's smart to try and get close to me right now, 'cause I'm just pissing everyone off. It'd be best for everyone if I was just...just left alone, ok?"   
"But...Alex, honey...you don't..." she stuttered, utterly taken back and hurt by what he had just said. She felt a sting in her eye. *Probably just tired* she thought, trying to deny how deeply Alex had hurt her feelings.   
"Alone means alone, Julie," Alex said, feeling a similar stinging feeling in the corner of his own eye. He looked back out the window, as she got off Alex's lap and onto the seat. He sighed, "that's how I want it."   
Julie crossed her arms, and looked out the other side of the van, breathing shakily. Louis turned his head to the back of the minivan. "Awright, Julie! G-g-g-gah rouse!" he said in a bad german accent. She moved past Alex, careful not to touch him, and got out. She waved to them, then ran back to her house, a single tear going down her cheek.   
*Now, I'm really am alone, aren't I?* thought Alex... 

*** *** *** *** *** ***   
  
  



	4. Chapter III

Crimson : Bloody Life   
Dusk. til Dawn.. .. . 

Chapter III   


"...alone," whispered Alex shakily. His eyes slowly, ever so slowly fluttered half-open. The feeling was returning, his sight becoming less blurred. "Huh..? Wuzzah...oh," he muttered incoherently, "a dream." He could vaguely make out that he was lying on his stomach, his one leg bent, and whatever he was laying on, it was cold. He ran his hand over his arm. He felt bare skin. "Wh-what's goin...on...? Feel so...weird..."   
He opened his eyes fully. He was laying in unfamiliar territory...naked. *Where am I? A...church? A really run down church?* he thought as he looked around, recognizing a cross on a wall, familiar church sections, and a musty incense smell. He looked around again, and shot to a sitting up position as he fully realized he was in a strange place, wearing nothing at all, surrounded by...dead pigeons. A whole flock of dead, ripped apart pigeons. The only light came from a hole in the ceiling and the occasional beam of light from dirty stained-glass windows.   
"Ughh, son of a bitch," groaned Alex. "Is this some crazy dream?" he asked himself, wiping dirt and blood off his body. He glanced around for something to cover himself with, but found nothing worth touching.   
"Alas, it has been all too real, young Alex," said a deep, ominous voice from the dark. It was familiar, like out of a dream. Alex jumped back out of the beam of light, into shadows. He looked around, but could only faintly see some light reflecting off what might have been a belt buckle.   
"Wh-what do you mean?" he warily said. His hands reflexively went to cover himself, despite the cover of darkness. He heard a raspy breath being drawn, and the flutter of cloth.   
"I refer to the horrific events in Central Park -- all you recall did actually occur...as did much worse that unconsciousness spared you seeing," replied the mysterious voice. "Now," said the voice, as it threw a live pigeon with two broken wings and a snapped leg into the light, "eat."   
"What!? Wh-who ARE you...!?" said Alex, staring with horror at the suffering bird. He heard a sound like a flare being lit, and a small fire sparked. Alex thought it came from a lighter, but when the light shifted, he saw it was in fact a finger that was lit. A finger attached to a massive hand, on a long arm, on a huge robed creature.   
"Your protector, Alex -- such was my pre-destined duty. Now get up and eat -- you may be intact, but you have changed greatly," it said, through sharp teeth set in an ape-like face. "But that TOO was pre-destined. You may call me Ekimus -- and know that our fates are inextricably linked from this moment forward. This is now your un-life," it said. The single flame on it's finger tip engulfed it's entire hand, giving Alex full view of it's seven feet and some-odd-inches tall robed body. Clawed hands were set at the end of long, muscled arms. Deep red eyes glowed in the darkness, and a long mane of hair sat behind an otherwise bald grey head. This was nothing human.   
"Oh...my...God," whispered Alex to himself, shocked, stunned.   
"Yesss," it hissed, bemused, "else you'd be a shredded corpse like your three companions."   
"NO!!!" Alex screamed as he ran into the dark. He stumbled over wood and debris, trying franticly to find his way in the pitch black. The events of that fateful night were done re-instating themselves in his memory. He remembered. "My friends -- they were slaughtered by monsters like you!! Get away from me!!"   
"Alex...stop this foolishness. There is much you must learn," said Ekimus, exasperated.   
"I'm not gonna let you kill me, too!!" Alex screamed from the shadows, as he pushed piles of boards and construction material out of his way. He stumbled and fell to the ground, tripping on a bucket of stagnant water. It splashed up over him, and flowed along the dusty dirty ground. Alex coughed and sputtered, and tried to get up, but slipped in the mess he'd made.   
"You still do not comprehend, do you?" sighed the creature as it lit candles with it's hand. Alex coughed again, and felt that he would be sick soon. "You can not be killed as you know it. You no longer really live. Now, stop your clamoring and LISTEN!!" growled Ekimus, still keeping a cool tone of voice. Alex stopped trying to get up, but kept himself ready to run at any moment. Ekimus continued, "the attack left you completely devastated, there was no way for you to survive your injuries. You 'live' now, yes, but not in any way you understood before, Alex. You are now, and forever...a VAMPIRE."   
A stupefied look came over Alex's face. He stumbled over his words, "wha--? N-no, no way...no! I am n-not...there's no such th--" He shook his head, "NO!" With this, he felt a sharp edge against the inside of his lips. He brought his hand up to feel what was in his mouth. He felt a prick, and looked to see a single drop of dark blood on his finger. He had stuck his finger on a fang. "...teeth? No...! No...I'm NOT A VAMPIRE!!" He screamed at the robed figure, "I WON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THIS!!! I'm not dead, I'm not a vampire!!!   
"Alex, stay here," commanded the strange being. Alex pushed a broken free-standing wall of a confessional out of the way. He stumbled over the debris, and looked back.   
"NO!! Get the fuck away from me you...freak!!!" screamed Alex. His mind burned at the situation around him. He could not comprehend that he had lost his friends, could not comprehend that he was in the presence of a monster, and definitely, under no circumstances, comprehend that he was a 'vampire'. He spotted the big wooden doors, his way to the outside world, away from this whole thing. Two rotting wooden tables were piled in front of it, and he forcefully pushed them out of the way.   
"No, boy! Do not go, you can not survive out there!" called Ekimus, slowly gliding over the dusty church floor. Alex ignored him and scratched for a door handle. The handles had been pulled out, so Alex dug his fingers into a crease, and pulled with all his might to open the doors.   
"Leave me alone!!! I'm--" said Alex as the the doors swung open. Sunlight bathed over his bare body and the first thing that came to mind was, *burning? ...I'm BURNING!!!* He heard a hissing noise, but that was in the back of his mind at this point. What was commanding his full attention was the fact that smoke was pouring off his skin and his whole body felt like it was being dipped in molten lava. Fire filled his mind, and he was so shocked with pain that he could not even muster a scream. Alex fell back, crawling along the ground, seeking some refuge in the shadows that he couldn't reach. "M-make...it...s-stop...please..." begged Alex to the creature he had hated so not even a minute ago. The doors suddenly swung shut, closed by some unseen force. Alex curled into a ball, all strength drained. *Makes no sense...hurt so bad...from sunlight?* His body ached, a burning feeling settling in his bones, burns from light and embarassment and shock.   
"However bizarre, please accept that from now on. This is your new reality, Alex. Now rest, it will be night soon enough," said Ekimus, picking up on Alex's thoughts. He picked the boy up in his arms, and carried him to the back of the church. "Now rest. It will be night soon enough."   
  



	5. Chapter IV

Crimson : Bloody Life   
Dusk til Dawn... .. . 

Chapter IV   


"...will have to ingest blood to survive. At least once a month, you will have to eat flesh in order to maintain your weight, otherwise you will wither into a shell of your former self. Do you understand?" Ekimus had been educating Alex on the way of un-life for vampires for a good part of two hours, and it was making Alex antsy, to say the least. "Alex, are you listening?" asked Ekimus, frustrated.   
"No. You've been drowning on for hours, and I'm tired of listening. And, by the way, about that blood thing? Ah, no. No no, I will never drink blood, so forget that. Uh-uh," snapped Alex. Ekimus had clothed him in an altar boy's robe, and the itch of dust in it only made Alex more finicky.   
"That is where you are wrong. You have already drunk blood. In the time I watched over you, I fed you the blood of pigeons -- you need it to live," sighed Ekimus, tired of trying to teach an uninterested pupil.   
"That's where YOU'RE wrong, freakshow, I am not...a fucking...vampire--!! And even if I am, I'd rather face the sun again that have to...bleugh, drink blood!" said Alex with contempt. He was fast growing tired of this whole situation. He got up to walk away, and Ekimus placed one clawed hand on his shoulder.   
"It is not a choice, Alex. You must..." he started before Alex started to run away.   
"NO! Leave me alone!" snapped the boy as he started sprinting away. Ekimus tightened his grip on Alex's shoulder and pulled him back in front of him. Alex groaned at the strength of this creature. "Get back! I'll hurt you...!"   
"Enough!" boomed Ekimus, as he slammed the back of his open hand into Alex's head, sending him sprawling to the ground. He sighed.   
"You...you hit me..." said Alex from the musty floor. Memories of his own father's one slip floated through his mind, and he felt tears sting his eyes. "You'll never do that again!!!" he screamed as he ran for the door again. He looked out through the clean spots on windows as he ran. It was dusk out, no sunlight would burn him now. He threw open the doors and ran into the street. His bare feet slapped at the pavement as he ran, looking for some refuge from the events surrounding him. He felt a faint tingling against his skin, as the remains of light faded to the night. He ran past a hotdog vendor into Central Park. He walked through the grass now, feeling the slick blades brush against his feet. He looked around. There weren't many people in this part of the park, so he decided it would be safe to sit down at a bench without being disturbed. He sat by a large duck-pond, looking over the water and the shades of pink and red that danced across it, reflected from the sky. Alex wiped away a tear, trying to come to grips with the day. 

"You must be the newbie, hey?" asked a voice from behind him. Alex weakly looked back at the voice, which carried either a Mexican or a Native American accent, he couldn't tell which. Standing behind him, elbow propped against a tree, was one of the weirdest looking people he'd ever seen. A slim but well muscled Native American man stood there, wearing a leather shirt that looked straight out of a cowboys & indians movie, a large pair of baggy jeans, and a collection of bracelets and rings. His face was adorned with some kind of native design, painted blue and black, and his arms bore a continuous twisting symbol of a tattoo. He stood just under six feet, and had a smile that could put the Cheshire cat to shame. "How," chuckled the stranger.   
"New...what?" asked Alex bewilderedly. He had a worried look on his face. So much for undisturbed. This new character was most certainly disturbed.   
"New VAMPIRE, bobo -- what else you think I mean?" asked the strange character.   
Alex felt his anger flare up. His teeth grew inside his mouth to fangs again, and he snapped at the stranger, "I'm NOT a vampire...!" The stranger chuckled.   
"Haw! Oops, my bad -- you must be one of them saber-tooth yuppies ya' hear so much about then," he said, pointing at Alex. His fingernails were painted black, and had been sharpened to points; claws almost. Alex brought a hand up to his mouth, and strained to reign his sharp teeth in. He felt the ache of shifting tooth subside and the prick of fangs disappear.   
"What's it to you, anyway? Who ARE you??" asked Alex. The stranger looked around and chuckled.   
"I'm Joe. I'm wit' the crew, man," said the stranger-no-more. Alex gave him a bewildered look. "I'm vampiro, too, bobo. But, dig -- since I know how tough this shit c'n be, I'mo take you unner my wing!" They started to walk along a sidewalk, the night rapidly approaching. Street lights flickered on, and Alex wondered why he saw his surroundings better when the lights were off. Joe walked with a strange bobbing action, like he was moving to some tune no one else could hear. "I'm gunna show you the ropes -- and help you get pas' this denial crapola you got goin' on."   
"I am not..." started Alex, before he was interrupted.   
"Oh, g'ddammit, man...yeah, you are! See, most newbies go through these things, like 'seven stages into undeath'. You at stage three: denial. 'ventually you'll get to acceptance, trust me -- there ain't a lotta choice in the matter. You is what you is, and dat's all dat u is, man! You're a vampire, bloodsucka, 'fang-ged zombie'," said Joe. They were walking across an overpass now, and Joe hopped up on the hand-rail and started walking along that. He continued, "and wit' that in mind, let's get you sumpin to eat!"   
"I...can't..." stuttered Alex at the thought of drinking blood. Joe scoffed.   
"HehHEH! S'not up to you, bobo, you GOT to drink -- at least a little...else your beast-side takes over an' you'll go on a mean fuckin' feedin' frenzy! That you don't wan't, b'lieve me," he chuckled, his arms spinning ever so slowly to keep his balance.   
"Beast-side?" asked Alex. He watched with awe as Joe did a handstand on the rail, then flipped to the ground beside Alex.   
"Ayuh. See, for us vampiros, takin' blood is natural -- and your nature'll always see you get whatcha need, no matter what! Kinda like breathin' used to be, ya' know? Now then, follow my lead an' I'll show you the hows..." said Joe. They had made it to a turn in the road at the top of a hill. Joe pointed to the road at the bottom of the hill, where two punkers in long coats walked, spouting curses and braying laughter. "Those malos down there, f'r instance -- they here peddlin' rock -- they'll make perfect donnors, cause nobody cares if ya prey on the predators. Dig? Lez go!" With that, Joe bounded down the hill, letting out a growling chuckle. Near the bottom of the hill, Joe jumped and grabbed ahold of a tree branch. He swung on it, and let go at the perfect time. He flew through the air at the drug dealers, his claws and fangs ready. "HOLA POPTOPS!!"   
  
Joe sank his claws into the shoulders of both of them, sending them crashing to the ground. One let out a foul word, and drew a switchblade. Joe stepped on his hand, sending the edge of the blade into his side. The pusher cursed again, and clutched his bleeding ribs, until Joe stomped his foot into the pusher's face, knocking him out cold. Joe turned to the other one and picked him up roughly. This one had his own weapon, a handgun, but Joe took counter-measures -- he sunk his fangs deep into the drug-dealers arm, then using his vampire strength and sharp claws, he ripped the end of the dealer's arm off. Alex watched with horror and fascination, saliva gathering uncontrollably in his mouth.   
Within five minutes of Joe finishing his speech to Alex, the drug-dealers were messes of blood and torn clothing. Joe was covered with strings of tacky blood, his clothes starting to absorb the fluid. He turned back to Alex, still holding the one armed punk, who was most definitely dead.   
"Yeee-aaah! C'mon bobo -- plenty juice for both'a us!" he called, shaking the corpse. Blood splattered to the ground. Alex could feel his teeth growing inside his mouth again, growing into sharp fangs. "Hey, man, I'm not envidioso!" called Joe [note: envidioso: greedy in mexican]. He waved his open hand in front of the body, like a prize-girl on a game show displaying prizes. He smiled a bloody smile and beckoned Alex, "take a sip."   
Alex took one step forward, uncontrollably hungry for blood now. But pictures and moments of memory flashed in front of his eyes, and Alex could barely catch his breath. He saw Joe holding the shredded crook, yes, but in Alex's mind Joe was standing among the bikers who were in the middle of viciously killing his friends. The transvestite turned to Alex and laughed "Shredded 'em!!"   
"NOOOOoooo!!!" Alex screamed, and ran into the night. Joe watched him go, scratching his head. 

"Still in denial. Oh well, that'll change...bobo'll see there ain't no choice at all," he said, and got back to his meal.   



	6. Chapter V

Crimson : Bloody Life   
Dusk til Dawn... .. . 

Chapter V 

  
Alex ran and ran, through the darkest streets and the busiest walkways, through the city trying to find a peace he could never have. He tried to wipe away tears that came too easily, and he cursed himself for being weak. He stumbled over a stone, and bumped into someone walking in front of him. The burly man in a two-piece suit turned around.   
"Watch it, you little turd!" barked the business man. He pushed Alex with one hand, and snorted under his breath. For some reason, Alex couldn't control himself.   
"You WATCH IT!!!" roared Alex as he grabbed the business man by the collar. In his rage, Alex had bared his fangs to the man, and a look of fear and repulsion washed over his fat face. Alex shook his head and ran back into the night.   
"Yeah? Well, screw you too, you freak!" called the fat man. He looked around, tightened his grip on his briefcase, and hurriedly walked home. 

*I've been running for hours, and I'm not even a little tired? What's happening to me?!* thought Alex. He had been accosted by a burly man earlier, and was horrified at the time to find he had the overwhelming urge to sink his teeth into the man and rip him open. These feelings stirred in Alex's mind, driving him to an uncontrolled burst of anger at the man. Better than murdering him, though. *Even if I can go on for another century, I can't run from what's happening. Or run back to the life I've lost. Oh, Christ, what have I become...?* thought Alex. He looked in a store window to see that his reflection was transparent. He could see the street behind him through his mirror self. His reflection was slowly disappearing. He put a hand on the cold glass, then backed away. He was stopped by a lamp post. *Oh my God, oh my God, it's not there! My reflection isn't there anymore!! I'm...I'm not human...! Where do I go now? Who'll take care of m--* Alex thought frantically. He stopped as something caught his eye. He walked over to a telephone poll, and read a poster that had been stapled to the wood some time ago. "Have you seen this boy?" asked the poster. His picture was in the centre of it, his old self, smiling back at him. *Oh, no...no, fuck no...Mom, Dad, Pris...Julie* the words formed in Alex's head slowly as he read, "We pray for his safe return" at the bottom of the poster. *Oh, fuck me...! I've been feeling so sorry for myself -- crying for what I'VE lost -- but what are THEY going through? How could I have forgotten them?!* Alex thought, and he ran his hand shakily through his hair. *Says here I've been missing for a month!? Mom must be dying...! I have to go to them...tell them that I'm...all right..but am I all right? Am I still even Alex Elder?* thought the boy as he ran in the general direction of his old home. 

Within an hour he'd reached his family's house. He climbed up the fire escape, sadness filling him all the while. He remembered the house used to be a small apartment building before his family bought it, and they'd left the fire escape on out of laziness. He was glad they'd left it on. He climbed up, climbed the cold metal rungs, to his sister Pris's window. He peered in, through the closed window. She was sleeping like an angel, a small smile on her face from some happy dream. Alex looked at her and smiled. "Pris, I...I..." he said, but a small flash diverted his eye just past his little sister, to her bed stand clock. It read 5:06. Sun-up would come soon. Alex felt something stir within him, and his fangs grew so fast his jaw ached. "I....I-I.-I-uuunnnggghhh!!!" *must...feed...the girl!!!* his thoughts came crashing through his head. He had not had any blood to eat, and so his beast-side, his nature's way of getting him what he needs, started to take over. His eyes glazed over, and his fangs grew too big for his closed mouth. He let out a guttural grunt as his fingernails grew to sharp claws. "NO!" he told himself in the crisp morning air. *N-not her...* "Nyyaaghh!" he growled as he fought his own body's violent impulses. He began crawling down the fire escape, trying to find refuge from his beast-side. *got...to get away...from Pris...* he started to think, but a great screeching interrupted his hazed thoughts as the fire escape tilted and he fell. He hit the ground with a hollow thud, and growled. He moaned as he fought to get up, and he stumbled over forced words, "must...feed! Find...blood....naauughh...AAAGH!" he screamed as pain filled his mind. 

In her room, Priscilla Elder awoke to a screeching. She lifted her head off her pillow, looking around lazily. She let out a single, half-asleep word, and went back to sleep, "...Alex...?" 

Alex Elder fell to the alley floor, and lied there among the filth and the rotting garbage. Raspy breaths barely escaped his throat, and he let out wet coughs. Hallucinations filled his mind, and he could barely move from the garbage. He weakly turned his head, and let out a single growling word, "...Pris...?"   
  
  


END OF DUSK TIL DAWN   
[Well, that was it. The re-visited first issue of Humberto Ramos's Crimson. Hope you enjoyed it, and I'd 'preciate it if you could find it in your infinite wisdom and heart (haw haw!) to review! If so, s'anks! :-D   
  
  
  



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